Burning the candle at both ends

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

Recently I've been overdoing it a bit. I go to the gym, I go to open mic nights or gigs every single night, I do essays, I write stories for short story seminars, intermediate creative writing, and for my own personal satisfaction. I watch a movie a day, read a book every two days (novels and the 'classics') and I still game every day as well. My sleep patterns are a mess, my body aches all over and my mind is a jumble of mismashed plot threads and characters.

So dear Escapians, You ever burned the candle every which way but loose? How do You overdo things? When and how do you stop? (I tend to burn out and sleep for a day or so.)

 

[Batfred]

Currently and for the last 8 or 9 years I have been living on between 5 and 6 hours a day. That sounds ok, but after that amount of time it does really catch up with you. I have permanent bags under my eyes and am a little bit snappy at times, but other than that I am fine. Your body actually gets used to it. All it asks is that once every 10 days or so you get 10 hours of good sleep and then you are ready to start again.

My wife is foreign, so she goes home to see her folks once a year. During those 10 days, I generally get between 3 and 4 hours a night if I even go to bed at all. Then when she gets back I sleep for a day.

 

[zen5887]

Yeah, once uni starts I'm a little worried.

MMA, study, band rehearsal, gigs, recording, girlfriend, D&D, friends, gaming, working out, working and some free time to try to relax.

I need more days in the week!

 

[Hurr Durr Derp]

For me it's like a cycle. I'm extremely busy, leading to an inevitable crash&burn, leading to me taking it easy for a while, leading to me getting restless and/or behind on my work, leading to me being extremely busy, etc.

 

[BlindMessiah94]

Snip

I used to be the same way. You asked when and how it stops?

Well I got hit by a car!
But I don't recommend that.

Eventually something will give in your life. You won't be able to do what you do anymore and your limits will reach their...well their limits.

But even if someone told me all this before I probably still would have worked like you, nonstop.

I have gone periods in my life where I work minimum 15-16 hours a day at various jobs and things, and have maybe 1 half day off every 2 to 3 weeks or so. I've done that kind of cycle for years.
It's not healthy. Your body is the first to go...Then your mind...then your spirit...

Good luck. It won't end well.

 

[Lost In The Void]

What do I overdo. I overdo not sleeping; its gotten really bad recently. I don't think its even the insomnia anymore, I just don't want to sleep anymore, its really quite strange.

 

[Batfred]

What do I overdo. I overdo not sleeping; its gotten really bad recently. I don't think its even the insomnia anymore, I just don't want to sleep anymore, its really quite strange.

I see sleep is a waste of time, no matter how useful it is. It's also boring compared to the other things on my agenda. Is that the same for you?

 

[Kaymish]

well i do it sometimes i get to the point where i am too useless from lack of sleep and i have to stop its normally after 4 days of no sleep i dont do it often and when i do only because i really have to

 

[Lost In The Void]

What do I overdo. I overdo not sleeping; its gotten really bad recently. I don't think its even the insomnia anymore, I just don't want to sleep anymore, its really quite strange.

I see sleep is a waste of time, no matter how useful it is. It's also boring compared to the other things on my agenda. Is that the same for you?

Nope I've been an insomniac my entire life, if I could sleep and my mind would allow it, I would love it. The situation is hard to explain. I want sleep, but my mind doesn't, if you could understand, it's really hard to explain the feeling

EDIT

well i do it sometimes i get to the point where i am too useless from lack of sleep and i have to stop its normally after 4 days of no sleep i dont do it often and when i do only because i really have to

Dude no sleep for 4 days is plain unhealthy. In fact in psychology I just happened to learn that more than 4-5 days without sleep can and will kill a person

 

[Macgyvercas]

Overdo things? Me? I'd be glad if I could!

I'm a totally demotivated procrastinator! If I could actually get around to half of the stuff I've been meaning to do, I'd be delighted, even if I did lose a lot of sleep. Shit, I'm not sleeping right at the moment, and I'm not doing anything!

Smae here. I have an extrememly terrible habit of putting off really big projects until about 2 days before they're due and I've know about them for weeks.

Oh, and Furburt. Love the new avatar.

 

[Dublin Solo]

Well, for me it depends on the time of the year, really. Most of the time, I work 8 hours a day, with 5 to 6 hours of sleep, which is mighty fine.

Then comes the crunching time at work. My sleeping time gets cut in two halves, because I have to wake up in the middle of the night to connect to our VPN and make sure the system isn't down, then I go to work for 12 hours. For roughly two months. With a few overnights, if we're lucky or not.

Then it's the Holidays, with lots of beer and celebration, and all is well.

EDIT: The fact that I can actually post things here during the day (GMT +5, of course) is a clear sign that the crunching time is over.

 

[Angerwing]

What do I overdo. I overdo not sleeping; its gotten really bad recently. I don't think its even the insomnia anymore, I just don't want to sleep anymore, its really quite strange.

I see sleep is a waste of time, no matter how useful it is. It's also boring compared to the other things on my agenda. Is that the same for you?

Nope I've been an insomniac my entire life, if I could sleep and my mind would allow it, I would love it. The situation is hard to explain. I want sleep, but my mind doesn't, if you could understand, it's really hard to explain the feeling

Like when you lay down in bed, prepared for the night's rest, weary as all hell, then when you shut your eyes...

Your mind is going a mile-a-minute, and you don't feel an ounce of the weariness that was overcoming you 5 seconds ago?

That happens all the time with me.

 

[Lost In The Void]

What do I overdo. I overdo not sleeping; its gotten really bad recently. I don't think its even the insomnia anymore, I just don't want to sleep anymore, its really quite strange.

I see sleep is a waste of time, no matter how useful it is. It's also boring compared to the other things on my agenda. Is that the same for you?

Nope I've been an insomniac my entire life, if I could sleep and my mind would allow it, I would love it. The situation is hard to explain. I want sleep, but my mind doesn't, if you could understand, it's really hard to explain the feeling

Like when you lay down in bed, prepared for the night's rest, weary as all hell, then when you shut your eyes...

Your mind is going a mile-a-minute, and you don't feel an ounce of the weariness that was overcoming you 5 seconds ago?

That happens all the time with me.

Welcome to insomnia, it's a ***** to live with. Myself, you're close to what I was, now like I said, I don't even have the will to try and even lay down to sleep anymore

 

[Angerwing]

Welcome to insomnia, it's a ***** to live with. Myself, you're close to what I was, now like I said, I don't even have the will to try and even lay down to sleep anymore

Oh, I don't have insomnia. I used to have a form of insomnia brought on by depression (waking up really fuck-off early), but that's gone now.

 

[Lost In The Void]

Welcome to insomnia, it's a ***** to live with. Myself, you're close to what I was, now like I said, I don't even have the will to try and even lay down to sleep anymore

Oh, I don't have insomnia. I used to have a form of insomnia brought on by depression (waking up really fuck-off early), but that's gone now.

Hmmmm I envy you then. 18 years and counting

 

[Darth Caelum]

Heh, i would describe myself using the sleeping giant metaphor.
I could go through most stuff without caring but, once roused or i get interested in something, i will not rest until i see it dead in front of me.
Anyway,who likes cheese?

 

[Batfred]

What do I overdo. I overdo not sleeping; its gotten really bad recently. I don't think its even the insomnia anymore, I just don't want to sleep anymore, its really quite strange.

I see sleep is a waste of time, no matter how useful it is. It's also boring compared to the other things on my agenda. Is that the same for you?

Nope I've been an insomniac my entire life, if I could sleep and my mind would allow it, I would love it. The situation is hard to explain. I want sleep, but my mind doesn't, if you could understand, it's really hard to explain the feeling

I used to have very mild insomnia. Maybe it's different for you, but I found (and this sounds odd) that concentrating on nothing actually works. Your mind will be racing with the events of the day and what is going to happen tomorrow, but you empty it and suddenly you feel your eyes getting heavy and then you're gone. The trick - for me anyway - is not to notice that your eyes are getting heavy. As soon as you do, you wake up and have to start again. It's not easy I tell you, but I am getting good at it now after years of practice.

 

[ParkourMcGhee]

I overdo things with about 5 physical hobbies a week, and studying a full time course at uni. Not much of a drinker though.

 

[AfterAscon]

Due to the amount of final year Uni work I have I've had to put my social life on hold for the last 4 weeks. I have reading for lectures, seminar work, 3 pieces of coursework and a dissertation to contend with. Once the coursework is out the way I then get case studies for my exams!!!

I work pretty much all my waking day, except when I'm eating (i.e. now). Fortunately it'll all be over in 12 weeks.

 

[Lost In The Void]

What do I overdo. I overdo not sleeping; its gotten really bad recently. I don't think its even the insomnia anymore, I just don't want to sleep anymore, its really quite strange.

I see sleep is a waste of time, no matter how useful it is. It's also boring compared to the other things on my agenda. Is that the same for you?

Nope I've been an insomniac my entire life, if I could sleep and my mind would allow it, I would love it. The situation is hard to explain. I want sleep, but my mind doesn't, if you could understand, it's really hard to explain the feeling

I used to have very mild insomnia. Maybe it's different for you, but I found (and this sounds odd) that concentrating on nothing actually works. Your mind will be racing with the events of the day and what is going to happen tomorrow, but you empty it and suddenly you feel your eyes getting heavy and then you're gone. The trick - for me anyway - is not to notice that your eyes are getting heavy. As soon as you do, you wake up and have to start again. It's not easy I tell you, but I am getting good at it now after years of practice.

Yes I've heard that works for mild insomnia. Unfortunately I'm classified as moderate to severe so I can't do that. I usually meditate or read until I pass out from shear exhaustion, but that kind of sleep only goes so far